Title

Author

Faculty Advisor

Robakiewicz, Philip E.

Faculty Advisor

Rulfs, Jill

Abstract

Today's athletes and body-builders are using pro-hormones to increase their performance. There are endless types and brands of these anabolic supplements, each of which makes claims to increase testosterone production and ultimately build muscle. To date there is little known about the effects connected with the use of androgenic supplements. Even if these supplements do indeed enhance athletic ability there is still the possibility of side effects, such as liver or prostate cancer, that would render them more harmful than useful. This study has been designed to look into the effects of one of these androgenic supplements, 5-androstenediol. To do so we administered 5-androstenediol to a human liver cell line, and a human testosterone responsive prostate cell line and examined its effects on cell morphology and proliferation. Through our results we have gained a better understanding of the effects of androgenic supplements at the cellular level.

Publisher

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Date Accepted

January 2002

Major

Biotechnology

Project Type

Major Qualifying Project

Copyright Statement

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